A Senate report found Frontier and Spirit paid staff $26 million for charging passengers extra fees enforcing strict baggage policies. The recent reports indicate that the two airlines paid the gate agents millions of dollars as incentives for finding the bags that look ‘too big’.
This has led to the allegations of customer harassment. Senator Josh Hawley introduced legislation on Wednesday intended to ban airlines from making passengers pay fees for baggage, seating, or other services as a condition of boarding a flight.
“Airline companies treat their customers like cattle. It’s offensive. They charge fliers different prices for the same flights — and sometimes different prices for bags and carry-ons. Now they’re paying their employees bounties to harass customers trying to get on the plane. It’s wrong. And frankly, it needs to be illegal,” Mr. Hawley said in a statement.
Mr Hawley grilled airline executives of Spirit and Frontier during a hearing last week about the fees. He posted on Twitter, that ‘Spirit and Frontier paid their gate agents $26 MILLION to harass customers whose bags were ‘too big.’ Keep in mind that they’re harassing customers who’ve already paid. It’s corporate greed in action.’
Frontier Airlines admitted to paying incentives gate agents, a practice defended by CEO Barry Biffle who compared passengers carrying oversized carry-ons to ‘shoplifters’. Reportedly, Spirit ended its incentive program while Frontier did not, yet.
The End Airline Extortion Act would ban airlines from paying bounties or other incentives to their personnel if they make passengers pay further fees for baggage, seating or other services.
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